Roof and floor block



Jari.4-,1938. I AN O 2,104,35e

ROOF AND FLOOR BLOCK Filed Feb. 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 4 19330 c. L. SANFORD ROOF AND FLOOR BLOCK Filed Feb. 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w .nulnn I 1 IIIIIFLIAIP Patented Jan. 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,104,356 Root AND FLOOR BLOCK Charles L. Sanford, Madville, Pa. Application February 16, 1937, 'Serial No. 126,067

6 Claims.

This invention relates to blocks or slabs for the construction of roofs and floors in buildings, and particularly to blocks designed to be used in the construction of roofs, floors or decks, that is, flat roofs, which also constitute sun decks or play decks.

Some "of the requisites of a good floor are strength, lack of vibration, relative lightness, sound deadening qualities, durability, fire retardr ing qualities, lack of shrinking and warping, and that the blocks shall form a good support for and protection to plaster applied to the underface of the blocks constituting the floor so as to form a ceiling for the room below.

The general object of my invention is to provide a unit, slab or block of a particular construction which will permit slanting roofs, imitation tile roofs, floors or deck roofs to be cheaply and easily constructed and so formed that the blocks 29 from which the floor or roof is made are not only reinforced but the reinforcing means is such as to tie the blocks in abutting relation at the time when the blocks are being supported and the filling of cement mortars is being tamped 25 between the blocks, this structure being such. as to do away with the necessity of placing forms or boards beneath the joints between the blocks to thus prevent the cement mortar from leaking out of the joint.

30 Another object is to so construct the blocks as to facilitate the engagement of the ties or reinforcing elements of one block with the ties of the next adjacent block and facilitate the filling of the space or spaces between the blocks 35 with cement mortar while at the same time re ducing very greatly the amount of mortar used under these circumstances.

Other objects attained by the particular form of the blocks will be more fully stated herein- 40 after.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:-"-

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of a roof and floor block constructed in accordance with my 45 invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2'--2 of Figure 1 but showing the edge abutting engagement of several blocks constituting a floor or deck also illustrating in section slabs applied to the 5 upper faces of the floor blocks.

Figure 2a is a fragmentary section through two abutting blocks on a line extending through the inclined face of one block and the vertical face of the next adjacent block and showing the 55 filling between the blocks.

(Cl. it -66) Figure 3 is anelevation of one of the ties and a fragmentary elevation of a successive tie engaged with the first tie.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of adjacent roofing blocks formed to imitate a tile roof. 5 Figure 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 4 but with the cement mortar filling in place between the adjacent blocks.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a ridge block. Figure fl is a fragmentary side elevation of 10 the ridge block. I

Referring more particularly now to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the block shown in Figure 1 is rectangular in plan. Preferably these blocks will have a width of approximately 10" or 12 and a length of approximately 16". These dimensions are merely stated for illustrative pur poses and it is to be understood, of course, that I am not limited to these dimensions. The thickness of the block will be approximately 5", though 20 here again this is merely illustrative.

The block is formed with a solid base portion I!) and with voids I l formed in the upper portion of the block. These voids, as illustrated, are four in number and are defined by the longitudinal and transverse webs l2 and I3. Two adjacent faces M of the block extend straight downward, that is, at right angles to the bottom of the block, as shown in Figure 2. Each of these per pendicular faces is formed with a vertically extending recess l5 which extends down, as shown in Figure 2, nearly to the bottom of the block but terminates short of the bottom as, for instance; about 1" from the bottom. The other two faces of the block are inclined downward and outward at the middle and ends, these faces being designated It. Between these faces I6, The block is recessedat ll, the rear wall of the recess extendingstraight downward, that is; at right angles to the face of the block, and then extending downward and outward, as at I8, at an angle of approximately This leaves outwardly projecting portions l9 at the middle of the block and at the corners of the block, these outwardly projecting portions l9 having the 45 downwardly and outwardly slanting faces Iii, as heretofore stated. Those two adjacent walls of the block which are provided with the recesses I1 and the projecting portions !9 are relatively thin-walled while the two opposite faces have relatively thick walls, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

Extending longitudinally and transversely through the base portion ID of each block are two reinforcing ties 20, one of these ties being shown in Figure 3. These ties extend beneath the ribs or walls I2 and i3. Each tie is formed of two strands of wire twisted upon each other through the greater portion of the length of the tie, as shown in Figure 13. At one end, the strands are untwisted but extend parallel to each other and then initially these ends of the wires are bent upward, as at 2|. The opposite ends of the two wires are left untwisted and are then bent laterally parallel to each other and then inward towards the twisted portion of the tie so as to form two parallel eyes 22. It will be noted that the plane of the hooked portion 22 is at right angles to the angularly bent portion 2|. This is clearly shown in Figure 2.

In the construction of a floor, the blocks are disposed in edge abutting relation with the vertical faces i l of one block opposed to the inclined faces E6 of the next adjacent block, as shown in Figure 2. When these blocks are initially disposed in place, they are supported by light scaffolding and jacks. While the blocks are being placed in this edge abutting relation, the angular ends 2| of the wires constituting a tie are inserted through the eyes 22 of an adjacent tie, as shown in Figure 2, and these ends 2| are bent over, as shown in Figure 2 at Zi so as to lock one tie in engagement with the other. When these ends are bent over, as at Zi in Figure 2, by the workmen, the bending over action will tend to pull on the next adjacent tie, thus pulling the blocks up in close contact with each other. It will be seen from Figure 2 that the bent up end 2| of the tie of one block is coincident with the vertical face 14 of this block and that the eye end 22 of the tie of the next adjacent block projects sufficiently beyond the edge face of this block that it will receive the turned up ends 2| of the wires of the reinforcing tie, and that when these ends are bent over, as at Zi this will act to pull the two blocks into close contact with each other at their lower edges.

After the blocks have been drawn up closely against each other, as above described, the recesses H are filled with a cement mortar, that is, with the composition of cement and fine granulated material as hereinafter described. At the same time this cement mortar will be filled in between the inclined faces is and the vertical faces ll of the next adjacent block. This mortar filling is designated 23 in Figure 2. It will be seen that this mortar filling constitutes a seal extending nearly to the bottom faces of the blocks and that because of the fact that the bottoms E8 of the recesses l! are downwardly inclined at a steep angle and because of the fact that the faces iii are inclined downward, the cement mortar may be readily tamped into place and will entirely fill the recesses l5 and I1.

Attention is called to the fact at this point that inasmuch as the two wires forming the tie 2i! are twisted together, the cement of the base it] will mold closely around the twists of the tie so that the tie has great holding power within the cement block, These ties 22 are, of course, embedded below the neutral plane of the block so that they resist any tendency of the block to bend downward and when the ties are connected to each other, these reinforcing ties resist any tendency of the floor to bend downward.

After the blocks have been cemented together by the cement mortar 23 tamped into the recesses I5 and i7 and into the spaces between the inclined faces. is and the vertical faces I, a floor is provided which is very solid and can support great weight. Because of the fact that the lower edges of the blocks abut against each other, as at 24, there is no necessity of disposing supporting boards or plates immediately beneath the joints between the blocks when initially forming the floor, but these supports may be disposed at any point where they will properly support the blocks in position to have their ties engaged and to have the mortar cement poured into the recesses i5 and i7 and between the faces l6 and the faces i l of the next adjacent block.

After the roof is formed, as above described, slabs 25 having the same composition as the blocks, are disposed to rest upon the upper faces of the blocks. These slabs 25 are laid so as to break joints with the blocks, as shown in Figure 2, and the spaces between the slabs are filled in with cement mortar 26. After these slabs 25 are put in place and cemented, a thin waterproof coating 25 of any suitable material such as now found on the market, is spread in an even layer over the faces of the slabs so as to make the roof entirely waterproof.

This construction provides a flat roof which may be used as a deck. Because of the particular composition used in the formation of this block and which will be later stated, it is possible to apply plaster directly to the underfaces of the blocks so that the blocks form a combined roof and ceiling to the floor below. It is also possible to nail framing members of any suitable character or veneers or anything of that kind directly to the blocks Ill. The voids H, where these voids are used, provide dead air spaces so that these dead air spaces form insulation for the roof.

While I have illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the blocks iii as being formed with these voids H, it is to be understood that where these blocks are to be used simply to form the ceiling of one room and the floor of the room above, these voids or recesses I! may be omitted, that is, the block may be solid from one end to the other. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the use of these voids H except as specified in the appended claims. Of course, these voids may be left, however, in blocks which are designed to constitute the floor of one room and the ceiling of the room below so as to lighten the blocks and also to provide dead air spaces if desired, but I wish it distinctly understood that under some circumstances, the block may be solid, that is, formed without these voids ll.

In Figures 4 and 5, I have illustrated a roofing block. This roofing block is constructed under the same principle as the floor block heretofore described, but without the voids, and in Figures 4 and 5, this block has been formed so as to imitate a tile roof. This roof block is also rectangular in form and on two adjacent sides, the side faces extend straight downward, as at it. On the other two side edges, however, the block is shown as formed with the two recesses I? corresponding to the recesses ll of. the fioor block, these recesses defining the intermediate downwardly and outwardly extending portions 19* having downwardly and outwardly steeply inclined faces 16 Embedded in the block at a distance of approximately 1" from the bottom of the block are the reinforcing ties 20, as previously described, having the angularly bent ends 2! at one end and the eyes 22 at the other, these ties being formed of twisted wire.

I have illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 the roof blocks as being formed to imitate tile and to this end, each block has two upwardly rounded parallel portions 27. Where the roof is to imitate a tile roof, it is necessary that the lower end of each block should be thicker than the upper end of each block. This is shown in Figure 5. Thus the lower end face M of one block extends upward to a point above the upper end face of the nearest adjacent block. The space between the straight face it of the upper block and the inclined faces 26 of the lower block and the spaces defined by the recesses El and the recesses lfi are, of course, filled with cement mortar as heretofore described, with relation to Figure 2. This cement mortar is tamped down in this space so that it forms a seal extending from the top of the lowermost block down nearly to the bottom faces of the blocks, as shown clearly in Figure 5, and of course, entirely surrounds and embeds the conjoined ends of the tie rods. This cement mortar designated 23 in Figure is filled up evenly with the upper flat surface of the lower block and even with and conforming in contour to the upwardly rounded tile-imitating portion 2? of the lower block.

By making the roof block shown in Figure 4 thicker at its lower end than at its upper end and with the lower end face of the upper block disposed at right angles to the bottom of the block, it makes it easy to fill the space between. the two blocks and form the upper surface of the filling or bond 23 as a continuation of the upper surface of the lower block. If the lower end of the upper block was beveled downward and forward and the upper surface of. the upper block was at the same time higher than the upper surface of the lower block, it would be difficult to trowel, mold or form the upper surface of the joint filling 23 so as to give the similitude of an overhanging upper tile, because it would be necessary to fill in against the two beveled faces and yet give a lower end face to the upper block which should be perpendicular to the bottom of the block. With my construction, however, it has been found in actual practice that there is difiiculty in filling in this space between the upper and lower block and forming it as a continuation of the upper face of the lower block, having the lower end of. the upper block to use as a shoulder or form to work against.

In Figure 6, I have illustrated a ridge block designed for use as an imitation tile-coping or ridge piece to a hip roof. Each block 28 is rectangular in plan and may be thicker at its upper end than at its lower, or the blocks may have the same thickness throughout their length. At

its upper end the block 28 has a face 29 which extends straight downward at right angles to the lower face of the block. The forward end face 30 of each block is beveled steeply downward and forward, as shown in Figure 'l. The under face of the block has two intersecting upwardly and inwardly beveled faces 3!. The side faces 32 are downwardly and inwardly beveled or inclined. Each side face 32 is formed, intermediate of its ends, with a recess 33 extending downward from the upper convexly rounded face of the ridge block nearly to the underface thereof, these recesses being approximately the same character as the recesses 55 in Figure l or l5 in Figure 4. Transverse ties of twisted wire extend through the block. Only the adjacent angular end 2| of this tie is shown in Figure 6, but the tie is as illus trated in Figure 3, and the other end of the tie extends into the opposite recess 33 of the block. The rear end face of the block is also formed with a like recess 34 and a second tie 20 extends longitudinally through the block, the angular end 2! projecting into the recess 35 while the eye end 22 projects out from the inclined face 3t. In use the flat inclined faces 32 confront the inclined upper end faces it of the downwardly inclined roof blocks shown in Figure 5 and the ties 26 of the ridge piece and roof block are connected as heretofore described. The intermediate spaces filled with cement mortar as heretofore described. The fiat end face 29 of one ridge piece confronts the inclined face 3E3 of the ridge piece or block above and the intermediate space and the recess 34 are filled with cement mortar after the longitudinal ties have been engaged with each other. It is a necessity of these roof and floor blocks that they shall be light and yet very strong and rigid and have certain other qualities later pointed out. I therefore form these blocks from practically pure granulated carbon, that is, coke from which practically all foreign matter has been extracted, leaving not more than A; of 1% of such foreign matter, which is granulated and mixed with hydraulic cement in proportions preferably of one part of cement to from 8 to parts of the granulated carbon. In the formation of these blocks, finely ground carbon is used to form. the outer faces of the block to give a relatively smooth surface wherever desired as, for instance. over the upper faces of the roofing block shown in Figure 4 or the upper faces of the ridge block shown in Figure 6. A composition consisting of hydraulic cement and granulated carbon as hereto-fore described is very readily molded. is extremely strong, the slight porosity of the block permits the blocl: to expand or contract under changes of temperature whichis a necessity for roofs and floors to prevent cracking. Blocks constructed of this composition resist very greatly the transmission of either heat, cold or sound, so that these blocks themselves act as insulation. The carbon in the block resists moisture and this is one of the features that distinguishes a carbon block from a block composed of cinder concrete or a block composed of coke concrete. By reason of the fact that the material may be readily cut, it is possible to make provision for the passage of pipes and electric wires or conduits. Furthermore, these pipes or conduits may be disposed within the spaces between the inclined faces 65 and the faces M of the adjacent block (or the faces I l and Mi of the block shown in Figures 4 and 5) and thus pipes, conduits or wires may be readily laid in the floor or roof while the floor or roof is being constructed. These blocks, being of nearly pure carbon are as nearly fire-proof as any material can be. They have a density between that of charcoal and the carbon electrodes of electric lights.

It will be seen that in my structure the cutaway portion of one end edge or one side edge extends to the bottom edge of the block, therefore, the bonding material, that is, the cement mortar between the adjacent blocks is also filled in from the bottom to the top of the block. Because, however, the face of one block is flat and at right angles to the bottom of the block and therefore only the face of the opposed block is inclined, much less bonding material is required in use. While at the same time full strength is secured, this saves the work of mixing and carrying large amounts of mortar or bonding material on the job. The strength of the roof is greatly added to by the presence of the strong reinforcing elements or tie members which are embedded in the block when made and which are connected to each other as described. The casting of the block material around the twisted reinforcing members insures that there shall be no slippage of the reinforcing members or tie in the block under strain. Also it adds great rigidity to the reinforcing member. A floor 16 ft. x 16 ft. constructed in accordance with my invention, Without joists or other supports, except the side walls of the building, will sustain thirty tons of weight by actual test. The reinforcing members as heretofore stated are so formed that the upturned ends 2 I will fit into the looped ends of the other reinforcing member and then may be readily bent back to lock two members in engagement with each other. This bending back of the ends 2|, as at 2i, will at the same time take up all slack between the blocks although the blocks are not tightly abutting against each other when put together.

Inasmuch as the ends 2! of the tie initially extend straight upward as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, and as shown in Figure 6, the eye .of one block may be readily disposed over the hook 2! of an adjacent block. This is facilitated by the beveled faces it which permit the block having the straight and vertical face to be canted over into position to engage its eye with the hook 2!, then the block having the eye may so brought back to a position in the same plane as the block having the hook, the hook 2| may be turned back over the eye and the intermediate space filled with plastic material.

What is claimed is:

1. A floor or roof block having one face at right angles to the bottom of the block and formed with a vertical recess in this face opening on the upper face of the block but terminating short of the bottom face of the block, the opposite face of the block being inclined downwardly and forwardly, and a tie extending through the block having an upwardly extending end disposed in the recess, the opposite end of the tie having an eye exposed on the inclined face of the block.

2. A floor or roof block rectangular in plan having two of its adjoining edge faces at right angles to the lower face of the block and formed with recesses extending downward from the upper face of the block but terminating short of the lower face, the other two edge faces being inclined outward and toward the lower face of the block and having recesses intermediate the corners and middle of the block, these recesses extending downward from the upper face but terminating short of the lower face, and transverse and longitudinal ties embedded in the block, each tie having one end exposed in a recess and the other end protruding on the opposite inclined face of the block.

3. A floor or roof composed of a plurality of blocks set edge to edge, each block being rectangular in plan and having two of its adjoining edge faces at right angles to the lower face of the block, said edge faces being formed with recesses extending downward from the upper face of the block but terminating short of the lower face, the other two edge faces being inclined outward and toward the lower face of the block and having recesses intermediate the corners and middle of the block extending downward from the upper face thereof but terminating short of the lower face, transverse and longitudinal ties embedded in the block, each tie having an end exposed in one of the recesses and the other end protruding on the opposite inclined face of the block, the blocks being disposed with the first named faces opposed to the inclined faces of adjoining blocks, that end of each tie disposed in a recess having an upwardly extending portion and that end of the tie exposed on the inclined face of the block having an eye, the upwardly extending portion of one tie being engaged in said eye and bent over and holding the blocks in contact with each other, and initially plastic material disposed within said recesses of the adjacent blocks and between the inclined faces of the blocks and the vertical faces of the blocks and embedding the ends of said ties.

4. A floor or roof block rectangular in plan having two of its adjoining edge faces at right angles to the lower face of the block, said edge faces being formed with recesses extending downward from the upper face of the block but terminating short of the lower face, the other two edge faces being inclined outward and toward the lower face of the block and having recesses intermediate the corners and middle of the block extending downward from the upper face thereof nearly to the lower face and then having a downwardly inclined wall extending nearly to the extreme lower face of the block, and transverse and longitudinal ties embedded in the block, each tie having an outer end exposed in a recess and the other end protruding on the opposite inclined face of the block, the exposed ends of the ties being formed to provide hook portions and eye portions.

5. A floor or roof block having one face right angles to the bottom of the block and formed with a vertical recess in this face opening on the upper face of the block but terminating short of the bottom face of the block, the opposite face of the block being inclined downwardly and forwardly, a tie extending through the block having an upwardly extending end disposed in the recess, the opposite end of the tie having an eye exposed on the inclined face of the block, the upper face of the block being formed with a plurality of chambers extending downward from said upper face but terminating short of the lower face of the block whereby to provide dead air spaces, and slabs disposed upon the upper faces of the block but breaking joints therewith, the joints between the slabs being filled with initially plastic bonding material.

6. A floor or roof block rectangular in plan having two of its adjoining edge faces at right angles to the lower face of the block, each of these faces being formed with a recess extending downward from the upper face of the block but terminating short of the lower face, the other two edge faces being inclined outward and downward and having recesses intermediate the corners and middle of the block and extending vertically downward from the upper face and then extending downward and outward at a relatively sharp angle, one end of the block being thicker than the other end and having its upper face formed to simulate tiles, and transverse and longitudinal ties embedded in the base portion of the block, each tie having an end exposed in a recess and the other end protruding on the opposite inclined face of the block, the end of the tie exposed in the recess being angularly bent upward, and the other end of the tie being formed with an eye.

CHARLES L. SANFORD. 

